Work contracts, languages, health and poverty in Luxembourg

More foreigners than Luxembourgers are out of work and an increasing number of people opt for atypical work contracts such as short-term or shift work.

16.10.2017

More and more Luxembourg workers are
opting for part time contracts, weekend or shift work and two thirds of
the working population is now able to use four or more languages,
with French and English topping the list of language fluency.

This was announced during a Statec
press conference on Monday into the statistics office's latest
findings for work and social cohesion.

In 2016 unemployment stood at 6.3% and
compared with Luxembourgish nationals, five times as many non-EU
citizens and almost twice as many foreigners from within the EU
living in Luxembourg were out of work.

A total of 4.2% of Luxembourgers were
unemployed, 6.9% of EU28 citizens and 20.8% of non-EU foreigners.

Family commitments and work contracts

Last year Luxembourg saw an increase in
the number of so-called atypical contracts, such as short-term
contracts (CDD), weekend, evening and night shifts. Family reasons
are the main factors behind the move to a contract other than a 40-hour standard daytime Monday to Friday pattern.

Statec advisor, Jérôme Hury, said
Luxembourgish nationals choose the atypical contract more often than foreigners, with 22.2% of Luxembourgers and 16.5% of foreign nationals going for this option.

But with 11.6% of the population adopting these contracts, Luxembourg still stands below the eurozone average of
30.4%.

Languages, health and poverty

By 2016 two third of the country's
working population was able to use four or more languages. French is
the language most people are able to speak, with 91% saying they can
communicate in French. In second place was English (71%) followed by
German (66%), Luxembourgish (61%), Portuguese (21%) and Italian
(17%).

Luxembourgers of foreign origin tend to
know the most languages with knowledge of an average of 4.9
languages.

The Statec report's findings also prove a near €7,000
difference in the monthly average standard of living between the
country's 10% most affluent (€7,891/month) and 10% least wealthy individuals (€984/month).

And while 28% of those who were at risk
of falling into poverty in 2013 are no longer in that situation, 30%
of people in Luxembourg have experienced poverty at least once
between 2013 and 2016. The age bracket which experienced the
longest lasting poverty is between 18 and 24.

Poverty also has great impact on health and results showed that those with a higher salary smoke less regularly and do more sport. The report also showed that health improves with a higher salary and higher level of education and obesity is said to decline with higher education level.